Branding & advertising are essential elements of any business strategy

Understanding the rules imposed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) can be a minefield and damaging if you fall foul. The BCAP Code for broadcast advertising as well as the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising are now more wide-reaching than ever and include the majority of online advertising, businesses’ own websites, commercial email advertising and text messages as well as the traditional forms of advertising media.

We’ve advised multiple brands – large and small – on their proposed advertising and other media campaigns, to reduce the risk of disputes. We consider the vast rules, technical details, reputational and financial risk on different types of advertising for many sectors. From defending or raising a claim against the Advertising Standards Authority or Trading Standards, to ensuring you are compliant with the CAP and BCAP codes, our determined team of IP specialists ensure that you’re protected – reputationally, financially and creatively.

How Our Advertising & Media Experts Can Help

Our specialist team provides guidance on the suitability of advertising content and assisting them in obtaining clearance advice in relation to any concepts, imagery and/or copy for use in ads and campaigns as well as providing advice in connection with comparative advertising.

Creative Protection

Creativity is at the heart of advertising and you don’t want to get weighed down by the legal technicalities before an advert goes live, or worse still, after. Early engagement with our team can ensure that your creativity is not stifled by the law and that your reputation is always protected.

Advertising Standards Agency Complaints

We can also advise you in in connection with complaints which you wish to make to the ASA as well as defending in relation to complaints received from third parties, competitors, the ASA and/or trading standards.  Additionally, we will advise you in connection with any branding or reputational issues which may arise.

Our Advertising & Media Experts

See More Team Members
Nicholas Briggs

Partner & Head of Intellectual Property

Why choose Shakespeare Martineau?

  • Our team has a real depth of experience ensuring you will only receive best commercial legal knowledge bespoke to your business
  • Experienced in handling many and varied references to the ASA in connection with comparative adverts between competitor products & services, advising on ASA complaints and providing clearance advice
  • Our team is praised by clients for explaining complex issues in terms that can easily be understood
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Key Projects

Services Business

ASA Cap Code Compliance

Providing clearance advice in connection with advertising for cosmetic to ensure compliance with the ASA Cap Code and ensuring that the product advertising did not fall foul of advertising restrictions relating to medicinal products.  This enabled the client to market the cosmetic product without facing any challenges around the claims which were being made.

Services Business

Crypto Currency Advertising

Advising in relation to crypto-currency advertising where the investments were not regulated by the FCA. 

Services Business

Misleading Website Advertising

Advising a services business in connection with misleading website advertising and correlated trade mark issues. 

Our Other IP, Technology, Media & Communications Services

Image Rights & Sponsorship

Sponsorships, particularly in sport (of athletes/players and clubs and, where possible, athlete/player endorsements and image rights arrangements) play a key role to sports clubs of every range and size.

Patents & New Technologies

Supporting clients in the commercial exploitation and enforcement of patents and other innovations

Our latest Advertising & Media updates

Our Advertising & Media experts are here to answer any questions you might have

If you’d like to speak to a member of our team, please fill out the enquiry form. We will aim to reply to your query within 2 hours

Need to talk to someone sooner? You can call use at the number below

Call Us: 0330 024 0333